Makes you wonder about the etymology of the corporate ladder, when you can take a lift, as I imagine it is a 20th century expression when lifts were already invented. Yes, I do get the metaphorical aspect of climbing rungs and career ‘rungs’, but still… I tired doing a search on the origin of the corporate ladder but Google let me down. I got as far as page 3 of 3,840,000 and then decided life was too short.
So, the lift is ready to go. Will you join me?
Many thanks to GD, long time friend of Just Outside the Box, for coming up with this cartoon after commenting on the last episode of Frank and his boss.
And I was surprised to see that there were more similarities between the corporate ladder and monkey bars
The inventor, Sebastian Hinton, patented the first set of monkey bars in 1920. In his patent application (Ref: US1471465 A) he explained his inspiration and logic for creating this piece of equipment.
‘As exercise for children, climbing has in it conspicuous-features of advantage. It is an exercise wherein all the muscles of the whole body are used. Climbing is the natural method of locomotion which the evolutionary predecessors of the human race were designed to practice, and is therefore almost ideally suited for children…
Again and importantly, the monkey instinct strong in all human beings and perhaps more clearly displayed in children, makes climbing a sport to which children by a psychology about the same as that of a kitten at play with a ball, which of course is practice for hunting.’
And now for a bit of fun, let’s change the word ‘children; with ‘businessman’ and tweak a few choice words
‘As exercise for ambitious businessmen, climbing the corporate ladder has in it conspicuous-features of advantage. It is an exercise wherein all the muscles of the whole body are used. Climbing is the natural method of locomotion which the evolutionary predecessors of the human race were designed to practice, and is therefore almost ideally suited for the want-to-be CEO…
Again and importantly, the monkey instinct strong in all human beings and perhaps more clearly displayed in businessmen, makes climbing the corporate ladder a sport to which businessmen by a psychology about the same as that of a kitten at play with a ball, which of course is practice for hunting.’